My Baby
by flashpenguin
Summary: In a bar, Dave is nursing a broken heart over Ashley, while Hotch is plotting to bring the lovers back together. Will Dave finally be able to say those 3 little words, or will he lose Ash forever? Two shot for ilovetvalot. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**My Baby**

_**Story prompts: jealousy, a torrid kiss, and a confession of love.**_

_**Song prompt: "My Baby" by David Pack**_

_For ilovetvalot. Love you, sister!_

Dave Rossi sipped his beer and tried to block out the raucous music that filled the pub. It had been a long day and an even longer week out in the field, and all he wanted to do was kick his feet up. But no, Hotch had decided to pull him out of the office and into a place with loud voices and even louder music blaring from the speakers.

"Tell me again why I'm here!" Dave raised his voice so he could be heard.

"We need to talk," came Hotch's simple reply.

"And that is why you bought me a beer?" Dave took another sip and blanched. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate a good malt, but it wasn't exactly his drink of choice.

"I wanted you to have a clear head. Scotch tends to make you…"

"Relaxed?" Dave raised an eyebrow.

"Assholish," Hotch corrected. He took a long drink and waited for a reply that didn't come. Setting the mug down, he looked at his best friend. He knew that he was risking twenty years of friendship, but he didn't care.

"How long have you felt this way about her?" Hotch asked point blank.

Dave raised the mug to his lips. "Who?"

"Seaver. You've been walking around in a daze for a few weeks now." Dave kept silent, so Hotch continued. "I know you've been seeing each other since she left the BAU, and I thought it was getting serious." Hotch took a drink. "Maybe even Mrs. Rossi the Fourth serious."

"She broke up with me."

Hotch looked flummoxed. "When?"

Dave sighed. "A couple of weeks ago."

"That explains your mood."

"Hell, Hotch, you thought I was in love. Shows how well you can profile me," Dave snorted.

"I did profile you. You've been pining for her."

"Pining? What am I, fourteen?" Dave shook his head. "I haven't pined for a woman since…"

"Emma," Hotch finished quietly. "You didn't pine for any of your ex wives, but you've been doing it for Ashley. I see it, and the team sees it."

"Why didn't they say anything?" Dave asked.

"Because they don't know who the woman was, but I'm sure that if they did, they would agree that you've just let a good one go."

"I let a good one go? What makes you think it wasn't the other way around? I've been told that I'm quite the 'catch'."

It was Hotch's turn to snort. "We are talking about the infamous David Rossi who has three marriages and a string of lovers trailing behind him. And now it has Ashley Seaver." He held Dave's steel gaze until the older agent was forced to look away. "What happened?"

"She wanted me to tell her those three little words."

"Ah."

"I wasn't ready."

Hotch nodded.

"She pushed me and kept saying that she didn't think I loved her. So, she left. Didn't bother to hear my side of the story," Dave groused. His fingers fidgeted on the handle of the mug.

"Did you have a side?"

"She left me." Dave shrugged indifferently.

"Then get her back."

"She doesn't want me."

"When has that ever stopped you from getting what you want?" Hotch asked. "If I know anything, it's that sitting and waiting for the other person to wise up is only going to make you wish you had when you're sitting all alone in your house in the middle of the night." He waited for his words to sink in. "You're a logical man, and I know that it's killing you inside without Ashley in your life. Go after her. Tell her how you feel. Fight for her."

Dave shook his head. "Funny you should say that, Hotch, because she claimed one of the things I never got was jealous."

"That's not the Dave Rossi that I know."

"I was…I just…I didn't want to scare her off by being too possessive."

"Not you," Hotch's mouth twitched.

"Hotch…"

"Go after her, Dave. Tell her how you really feel and all the other things you're afraid to say out loud. Get her back before you turn into me," Hotch said.

Dave mulled over the advice. Taking a deep breath, he held it, then let it go. "Point made and taken. And let's say for the sake of argument that I decide to do what you suggest, how can I do that if I don't know where she is?" he pointed out matter of fact.

"Look behind you," Hotch suggested.

"What…?" Dave twisted around in his chair to look around the room. It took a few seconds, but his eyes focused on the cool blonde sitting in the corner of the pub. For a moment his heart jumped. But then it fell as he noticed that she wasn't alone. He turned back to look at Hotch. "You set me up?"

Hotch gave an affirmative nod. "I knew she was coming here after work, and I thought it would be convenient if you two just 'ran into each other'."

"I can't believe you did this."

"You did want to know where she was…I just made it easier for you to say what you need to say."

"You are a sadist, Aaron Hotchner."

"Call it righting the world for one lucky schmuck." Hotch jerked his head in Ashley's direction. "Now go get her and don't let her go again…or I'll be forced to use more drastic methods next time."

Dave hesitated. Then he pushed his chair back and stood up. With a purpose he had never felt before for any woman, he moved across the floor to where Ashley and her date sat. So deep in conversation, they didn't notice the man standing by their table.

Dave cleared his throat. "Hello, Ashley," he greeted.

Surprised, Ash turned her head to see who had said her name. Then she blinked. "Dave? What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk." Dave took her hand and pulled her up.

"I'm a little busy right now," she stated angrily. "Wait!"

"She'll call you," Dave called back over his shoulder as Ash reached for her purse at the last minute. Holding tight, he dragged her across the floor to the front door.

At the table on the other side of the pub, Hotch raised his beer mug in a toast. "Way to go, Dave." He took a large swallow, then he smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

**My Baby**

Dave pulled Ash out the front door of the pub. Once outside, he pushed her up against the red brick wall of the building.

Trying to catch her breath, Ash looked at the man who had suddenly, and without warning, disrupted her evening. She didn't know whether to kick in the shin or kiss him on the mouth. But until she could decide, she needed a few answers.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded hotly.

"We need to talk," Dave said.

"No, _we_ needed to talk a couple of weeks ago when I was doing everything but tap dancing naked on your coffee table." Her blue eyes blazed hot. "I'm done talking. If you want to 'talk', there's the wall," she pointed behind her, "hope you have as much fun as I did." She went to move, but Dave's arm shot out to block her escape.

Dave's eyes were compassionate. "I get it; I hurt you."

"No, you pissed me off, Dave. There is a difference. You hurt me when you decided to let me walk out of your life without a fight."

"I'm sorry."

Ash thought over his apology for a moment. "Okay. Apology accepted. Now may I leave?" She pushed against his arm, but he wouldn't budge.

"I'll let you leave…after I have my say," Dave replied. Ash looked around, folded her arms across her breasts, then sighed. "Please."

"Okay. Make it fast."

"I've been an asshole." Ash rolled her eyes dramatically.

"That is a revelation…how?"

"Ash…" Dave began.

"Okay. Sorry."

"I made mistakes and I'm not too proud to say that I'm sorry. I was afraid and I didn't know what to do because, every time before, when things got tough, I walked away. I should have done the hard work to make things work, but…I didn't," Dave confessed.

"Why?" Ash's eyes stared into the man she still loved.

"Because the women who came before you…as much as I cared about them…I didn't…" Dave struggled to find the right words. "I have had an idea of the perfect woman, and no one ever measured up to her. Not my ex-wives…not my lovers…everyone fell short."

Ash's mouth dropped open as Dave's words sank in. "What? Are you…did you just say that…" Anger flared fast and burned hot. "How dare you compare me to a memory and then say that I failed!" She pushed against his chest and caused him to stumble backwards.

"Ash…"

She hiked her purse strap higher on her shoulder. "You know, I tried to ignore the rumours about you and your 'lothario' past at the FBI. I didn't want to think about all the women who came before me…or the ex-wives. I wanted to give you a chance."

"Ash…please, listen," Dave interrupted.

Shaking her head, she continued as though he hadn't spoken. "I love you…I mean, I loved you. And I can say this even though we haven't slept together. You're great and incredible, but you're a jerk." Raising her foot, she delivered a swift kick to Dave's shin. Then she stomped off.

Biting out an expletive, Dave was overwhelmed by the sharp pain that coursed thru his body. Recovering quickly, he reached out and grabbed Ash's arm. She yelped as he wrapped his arms around her waist to mold her body to his.

"You're not leaving that easy, sweetheart," he growled before covering her mouth with his for a hot, passionate kiss. Trying to resist him, Ash kept her mouth shut, despite his attempts to coax her otherwise. Tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue, he begged to be let in.

"Come on, Ash," he growled against her mouth, "let me in."

Between the sweet taste of malt on his tongue and the intoxicating scent of his cologne, Ash knew she couldn't fight him any longer. Moaning low, she weaved her fingers in Dave's thick black hair, and let him in.

As their tongues mated in a lover's dance, Ash felt her body come alive the way it did when ever Dave touched her. Between the feel of his body against hers and the desire coursing thru her body, Ash lost herself in a kiss that she was sure just melted her feet to the sidewalk.

Pulling back, Dave looked at the woman of his heart.

"May I finish what I started to say…before you kindly interrupted me?" Dave asked.

Ash tried to catch her breath. "Sure. But make it quick." She leaned against the wall and prayed that her knees would hold up until he finished his speech.

"I was going to say that no woman had come close to meeting the standards of Emma….until I met you." He watched the look of shock cross her face. "I have never run away from a relationship…"

"Yes you have…the divorces, the failed relationships…"

Dave shook his head. "That wasn't 'running', that was quitting; there is a difference. But I thought I was quitting when you kept pushing me to say those three little words. I tried to say them and not have them sound trite and over used, but I couldn't."

Ash swallowed and blinked hard. "I didn't want a flair for the dramatic; I just wanted to hear that you feel the same about me as I do you. I can handle it if you don't. I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you." A tear broke free to run down her cheek. Dave caught it with his thumb. "But it would have been nice to hear them."

Dave brushed the tear away. "I love you, Ashley Seaver. More than I've ever loved any woman."

"More than…?"

Dave gave her his crooked grin. "I said 'any woman'."

"Dave…" she breathed. Her heart was pounding fast, but for different reasons.

"From this day on, I'm not going to let you go. If you need me, I'm there. If you want to talk, I will. If you just need an ear, I'm going to listen," he vowed. "But I can't get jealous - that's not who I am."

"Oh?" Ash raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. "You could have fooled me in there…pulling me away from my date…barely giving me a chance to finish my sentence. You looked pretty jealous to me," she said with a snort.

Dave felt the heat rush to his cheeks. "I wasn't jealous; I needed to talk to you. There is a difference."

"You barked at him! That's jealous," she argued.

Dave tried to recall the moment in the bar. He had been so intent on talking to Ash, that he barely noticed the man she had been sitting with, but now he felt that little green monster finally rear its ugly head.

"Alright. Okay, I was jealous."

"That's better," Ash said with a smirk. "Do you want to know who he is?"

"Depends. Is the answer going to Deep Six everything I've accomplished tonight?" Dave replied sarcastically.

"No. That's my cousin. He is in town on business, and he looked me up. We had an early dinner and decided to stop here for a drink. I didn't know you would be here."

"Hotch did."

Ash's eyes widened. "Hotch?" she sputtered. "He didn't…" Her rant was cut off by Dave's index finger pressed to her lips.

"You can thank him later," Dave said. "Until then, I can think of better things we can discuss at your place."

"Eddie is staying with me," Ash stated quickly.

Dave barely paused. "My place, it is!" He leaned down to brush light kisses across her cheek. "Did you take his car?"

Ash tried to remember, but he was making it difficult to think. "Yes," she hissed.

"Good. Does he have a key? Or does he know where you keep the spare?" Dave asked. Ash nodded, then giggled. Dave pulled back. "What?"

"Your goatee tickles," she said with a blush.

"I'd like to do more than tickle you," he growled low. "You did promise me a naked dance on the coffee table." His eyes danced with mischief.

"Keep talking like that, and we aren't going to make it to your car," she replied with a sarcastic snort, but her body was screaming from want and desire.

"Oh, we'll, make it." Dave linked his arms around her waist and looked deep into her blue obs. "You do realize that when I make you mine, you'll not only be my woman, but you'll be my baby, too. You'll never need another man."

Ash couldn't fight the stupid grin that broke across her face. "I'm waiting." she returned.

"Never again, sweetheart."

And he kept his promise. Always.

_The End._


End file.
